Is Paddle Boarding Healthy and a Good Exercise (for Building Muscles and Losing Weight)?

Throughout the years, paddle boarding has been an excellent alternative for those who want a change in their environment during their workout sessions. So it is no wonder why this very fun watersport continues to attract more and more people to gather in paddle boarding spots scattered across the globe. This recreational activity will take you to a lot of different places that have something unique to offer.

Is Paddle Boarding Tiring?

Paddle boarding is a low-impact sport that exercises pretty much all parts of your body, and it can get tiring to a certain extent, but you can always choose the level of extremity when paddle boarding. You can ride the waves or challenge yourself to go at insanely high speeds if you prefer a more extreme experience. On the other hand, you can do some yoga and meditate or just simply enjoy taking in all the breathtaking views around you if you want to have a relaxing time out in the water.

The key to spending less energy while still getting maximum results when paddle boarding is to use the correct muscle groups. The best way to perform paddling efficiently is by using your arms and core. Combining the strength of these two muscle groups will be less tiring and will give you more power when paddling.

Do You Have to Be Fit to Paddle Board?

You do not need to be well-built and exceedingly strong to paddle board. Provided that you can take on the fun and thrilling challenges that come with paddle boarding, there is no other reason to stop you from wanting to try out this sport. Despite the fact that paddle boarding is a full-body workout everyone is welcome to try the sport no matter how old you are or how high your level of fitness is.

It is known for a fact that all sports come with their unique set of challenges, so if you think that you are not sufficiently fit to paddle board, maybe you just need to think outside the box and figure out another way to be able to do so. The key to paddle boarding does not merely revolve around a person’s strength but rather on problem-solving skills and various techniques. Much more than a physical sport, paddle boarding is also a mental sport, and it does not solely rely on your physical abilities.

How Do You Get in Shape for Paddle Boarding?

There are numerous exercises that you can do to prepare your body and mind for paddle boarding. Before you decide to hit the water, it is crucial to make particular muscle groups stronger as they will help you in paddle boarding. You have the option to consult a professional trainer or make your own fitness training regimen that is centered on strength, flexibility, stamina, balance, reflex, muscular endurance, and cardiovascular endurance.

Given that paddle boarding is a physically and mentally tiring sport, you must ensure that you train your body to be fully ready for this strenuous yet entertaining activity. Therefore, along with working out, it is also important to eat a healthy and balanced diet to supply your body with the nutrients needs. Having said that, here are some of the many exercises that you can do to get in shape for paddle boarding:

Core Exercises:

• Sit-ups
• Leg raises
• Bench crunches
• Abdominal crunches
• Basic and elbow plank
• Side plank with leg raise

Cardiovascular Endurance:

• Biking
• Jogging
• Swimming
• Jump roping

Arms:

• Wide push-ups
• Triceps push-ups
• Diamond push-ups
• Shoulder push-ups

Flexibility Exercises:

• Sphinx pose
• Downward dog pose
• Lunge with spinal twist
• Seated neck release
• Standing hamstring stretch
• Standing quad stretch
• Butterfly stretch
• Side bend stretch
• Lunging hip flexor stretch
• Knee to chest stretch

Does Paddle Boarding Keep You Fit?

Without question, paddle boarding certainly keeps you fit not only physically but also mentally. Throughout the whole duration of this recreational activity, you need to stand firm as you will be running into several challenges along the way, which is why the combination of your body’s physical strength and your mind’s ability to solve problems is of vital importance. In addition, there are also a wide range of health benefits that come with the sport of paddle boarding

Surprisingly enough, paddle boarding is not as extreme compared to other activities running, swimming, cycling, hiking, and a lot more which makes a really great way to maintain your fitness. Apart from that, you still get that killer workout even if you are not exerting too much energy and less risks to worry about. These are just some of the many reasons why a significant number of people like paddle boarding.

Is Paddle Boarding a Good Workout?

Paddle boarding is a fantastic workout that exercises your whole body while burning a lot of calories. Aside from building strength in your core, you are also building strength in your abs, back, arms, knees, and legs. All parts of your body need to work side by side to maintain your balance while on the board.

If you are a beginner, it will not take you very long before you get the hang of paddle boarding because the board is sufficiently large and steady, so you do not need to worry about having an extremely good sense of balance. On top of that, you can also switch it up from time to time by doing different activities on your paddle board, such as surfing, fishing, and many more. A popular activity to do while paddle boarding is yoga since it is a wonderful time to meditate when you’re surrounded by nothing else but nature and a breath of fresh air.

What Kind of Workout Is Paddle Boarding?

It’s an amazing workout that is substantially beneficial to improving both your physical and mental well-being. Paddle boarding is a low-impact exercise that is a mixture of strength, endurance, and balance. It makes use of almost all the different muscle groups found in your body which in return improves your sense of balance, boosts your stamina, strengthens your muscles, and increases your muscular and cardiovascular endurance.

Paddle boarding is an aerobic exercise that gets your heart pumping and your lungs working for an extended amount of time. This is a good way to enhance your cardiovascular health and prevent the risk of many conditions. It reduces the risk of obesity, heart disease, diabetes, stroke, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, and particular types of cancer.

Is Paddle Boarding a Full Body Workout?

Most people are surprised when they hear that paddle boarding is a workout that exercises your whole body. It is essential to combine the strength of almost every part of your body when paddle boarding to move you and your board forward through the water successfully. Not to mention it also requires you to put your mind to work which improves your focus and minimizes the likelihood of cognitive impairment.

With that said, the most important thing about paddle boarding is it gets you out there. Even if you are not one to interact with other people, it still gets you on your feet and out of the confines of your home. It is a really great activity to appreciate the outdoors and the countless great wonders that our world has to offer waiting to be explored.

How Good of a Workout Is Paddle Boarding?

Paddle boarding is a perfect workout that does not need a lot of equipment to get started. Your energy is concentrated on moving through the water and catching sight of the breathtaking views around you, which is why you don’t really feel the pain in the same way you normally would when working out in the gym doing planks or push-ups. It’s a low-impact activity that does not strain your muscles and joints too much, but it still exercises both your body and mind.

A lot of people like this incredibly fun exercise because it’s a very welcoming activity that everyone can do no matter how old you are or how high your level of fitness is. It can be done at a water body of your choice, be it the ocean, river, or lake. On top of that, paddle boarding has the power to free your mind of worry and stress that we encounter in our daily lives, especially when life gets too intense to deal with at times.

What Muscle Groups Does Paddle Boarding Work?

As previously stated, paddle boarding exercises almost all the muscle groups found in your body all through the whole course of the activity. You are given the freedom to choose if you want to stand or kneel while paddle boarding. With that said, whether you prefer standing or kneeling on top of your board, you primarily work out the same muscle groups, that includes your core, back, legs, calves, arms, shoulders, and even your chest.

In contrast to popular belief, the major muscles used in performing a paddle stroke are your core muscles which save your lower back from carrying a lot of weight. Although this may be the case, you still need to mix the strength of your other muscle groups with your core muscles to successfully carry out a paddle stroke and propel yourself across the water. By utilizing the strength of these multiple muscles, you are able to perform a paddle stroke with minimum wasted energy.

Does Paddle Boarding Build Muscle?

If you are aiming to build muscle, paddle boarding is the perfect activity for you. In fact, it does not only build your muscles, but it also strengthens and tones your muscles. The amazing thing about paddle boarding is that it does not require you to use great exertion, which means that you are less tired, but you still get the same results as when you would do other strenuous exercises. Therefore, it is a great alternative for those who want to get that work out in without having to spend time inside the gym, around the neighborhood, or in their own home.

On top of that, you also get to spend time discovering the great outdoors while training your muscles. Paddle boarding is also a relatively low-impact activity that is tons of fun and does not come with a lot of dangers. Indeed, it is a pleasurable exercise that is great for building muscles, improving your mood, making new friends, and exploring the beauty of nature across the world.

What Parts of the Body Does Paddle Board Help Build Muscle?

The primary muscle groups that paddle boarding works include your chest, core, back, arms, shoulders, legs, and calves. As mentioned above, paddle boarding is of tremendous help in building muscle in almost every part of your body. Having said that, listed down below are the several muscles that paddle boarding works:

• Lungs
• Heart
• Deltoids
• Erector spinae
• Trapezius
• Rotator cuffs
• Latissimus dorsi
• Pectoralis major
• Abdominal Muscles
• Forearm
• Biceps
• Triceps
• Quadriceps
• Hamstrings
• Glutes
• Feet

Can You Get Abs From Paddle Boarding?

Paddle boarding does not only give you the opportunity to explore different bodies of water, but it also offers you the chance to build and tone your abdominal muscles, given that the main muscle groups you use in this activity are your core and back muscles. To effectively train your abs, you must first work on getting your posture right, whether you are kneeling or standing. Along with proper posture, it also very important to balance your body weight evenly while you’re on top of your board to help you concentrate on performing a paddle stroke correctly.

The primary challenge in attaining well-defined abs is losing the layer of fat over them, and this can easily be done with the proper training regimen. Most of us encounter stress almost every day of our lives, but it is crucially important to know and understand that when stress gets too much to handle for prolonged durations, it can eventually lead to increased fat stores. A proper diet filled with good nutrition, sufficient physical and mental exercise, and reduced stress levels make paddle boarding a very fun activity to develop abdominal muscles without feeling extremely exhausted.

Is Paddle Boarding Good for Your Core?

Paddle boarding is incredibly good for your strengthening and toning your core muscles. It builds strength in your abdominal muscles that carries almost all of your body weight when performing a paddle stroke to save your lower back from bearing heaviness. Stronger core muscles make it significantly easier for you to do daily physical activities such as picking up a glass full of water, bending down to tie your shoelaces, or carrying your backpack.

A weaker core can cause a variety of problems such as lower back pain, shortness of breath, lack of ability to sit or stand up straight, bad posture, poor sense of balance, extreme fatigue, and many more. These are just some of the countless reasons why strengthening your core is of high importance. There are plenty of benefits that come with having a strong core which includes but is not limited to:

• Improves posture
• Decreases lower back pain
• Helps in lessening the probability of sustaining injuries
• Enhances spinal and postural while the body is moving
• Improves the exchange of gases between the air and the blood.
• Straightens and balances the spine, pelvis, and ribs of an individual

Is Paddle Boarding a Cardio Exercise?

Paddle boarding is not only a cardio exercise, but it is also a strength exercise which means that you are getting your heart and lungs working while you train your muscles to be much stronger. As a result, it improves your cardiovascular fitness and overall health if done in the right way. Suppose you are aiming to improve your cardiovascular fitness through paddle boarding. In that case, it is a smart idea to consult a health and fitness professional beforehand to assist you in creating a workout routine and a balanced diet.

Cardio exercises are best for boosting both your stamina and endurance. Cardio workout might not be a fun physical activity for most people working out in the gym. Still, paddle boarding takes this exercise to a much higher level of pleasurable experience since you are out in the water, basking in the warmth of the sun as you catch sight of the magnificent environment all around you. If you hate cardio workout, you should start loving it and doing it more, provided that there are a lot of major health benefits that you can get from this type of exercise, including:

• Amazing for losing weight
• Increases the capacity of your lungs
• Tremendously helps in having a good night’s sleep
• Increases endorphin levels, thereby boosting your energy in a natural way
• Great for your mental health as it improves your mood and reduces stress levels
• A good way to strengthen your heart by increasing heart rate and pumping blood
• Boosts your immune system making you less prone to multiple bacterial infections
• Minimizes the risk of several health problems such as diabetes, cancer, stroke, and even heart attacks

Do You Burn Calories Paddle Boarding?

Since you are continuously moving around for an extended amount of time to do multiple paddle strokes with the goal to propel your board across the water, paddle boarding is an excellent exercise to burn a remarkably huge number of calories. Just like with any watersport or any kind of sport, for that matter, the number of calories you burn highly depends on how much time and effort you put in. As you slowly invest more time and increase the intensity of your paddle boarding session, the more calories you will burn.

Paddle boarding is one of the most efficient ways to burn calories that is beneficial to your physical and mental health without feeling extremely weary. In addition, it is also important to know that there are different factors that hugely affect how many calories the body burns when a person does a particular physical activity due to the fact that all individuals are not the same. This includes the person’s sex, age, weight, heart rate, along with the duration and extremity level of a certain activity.

How Many Calories Does Paddle Boarding Burn?

Shockingly, paddle boarding burns a significant number of calories for such a fun and peaceful activity. It has the potential to burn calories up to approximately 800 within an hour of casual paddle boarding on calm water. The calories you burn can even exceed 800 when you do other categories of paddle boarding such as surfing, touring, racing, yoga, or other strength exercises.

It does not come as a surprise that this extremely enjoyable activity has become widely known all over the world in the last few years. In fact, paddle boarding continues to gain more and more popularity up to this day and age.

How Many Calories Do You Burn Paddle Boarding for 1 Hour?

The calories you burn when paddle boarding depends on how intense you go at it but on average, you burn about 300 to 430 calories for 1 hour of leisure paddle boarding on tranquil water accompanied by light winds. That is two times the calories you burn when walking at a moderate pace for an hour. If you are aiming to burn a lot more calories, you can always make the difficulty level of your workout higher to achieve your goal.

Doing a yoga workout for 1 hour when paddle boarding increases the calories you burn to around 415 to 540 calories. If you want to use your paddle board for surfing, you can burn roughly 620 to 740 calories in an hour. If you are up for a challenge, you can also use your paddle board for a high-intensity racing, which burns about 710 to 1130 calories per hour.

How Many Calories Does 2 Hours of Paddle Boarding Burn?

The number of calories a person burns for 2 hours of paddle boarding adventure hugely differs from one individual to another as there are a lot of factors that greatly affect the results after performing the activity. On top of that, there are also different categories of paddle boarding, and you have the freedom of choice to select which one you like best. Here are some of the various categories of paddle boarding the estimated calories each type burns for a duration of 2 hours:

Is Paddle Boarding Good for Weight Loss?

As mentioned earlier, paddle boarding is a full-body workout that can burn a lot of calories within one hour, which is one of the many reasons why the sport continues to increase in popularity. Paddle boarding is an excellent workout for losing weight, and it pretty much exercises almost every muscle group in your body. Moreover, it is also a relaxing and pleasurable activity to do while you immerse yourself in nature.

There is only a small number of activities that work out all parts of your body. Paddle boarding covers such a wide range because it strengthens your core, builds up the muscle in your arms, increases your endurance, tones your legs, trains your back, and develops your flexibility. It is the ultimate workout for losing weight while having lots of fun spending time outdoors and meeting new people who also find paddle boarding entertaining.

Can You Paddle Board if You Are Fat?

If you are overweight, you do not need to worry if you can participate in this sport because all ages, shapes, and sizes are welcome to try paddle boarding. At first, it might seem a bit intimidating especially if you do not have enough strength, balance, flexibility, and endurance. While this may be the case, do not let this be why you stop you from paddle boarding because you will gradually improve in these areas as time goes by.

You also don’t need to be troubled about finding the paddle board that suits you best because there are many options available in the market that you can choose from. Paddle boards can support a person’s weight of 200 to 300 pounds (90 to 136 kg), and there are also boards that can hold 500 pounds (226 kg) and above. When selecting a paddle board, you must consider the overall weight you will be putting when you are on the board, to guarantee that you have enough buoyancy and stability once you are in the water to avoid the risk of sinking.

Does Paddle Boarding Count as Exercise?

Without a doubt, paddle boarding absolutely counts as exercise. As the sport gained more and more popularity over the recent years, lots of people are flocking to famous paddle boarding destinations all around the world throughout the whole year to participate in this fun and challenging recreational activity. The main reason for this is because paddle boarding is a truly great exercise that boosts your general well-being while allowing you to wander through the fascinating marine environment.

Besides paddling constantly for long periods of time to make your way through the water by utilizing the strength of pretty much all the muscle groups in your body, there are also different exercises that you can do while you are on your board. Once you get comfortable enough balancing your body weight on your board, you can do a variety of enjoyable exercises and/or activities such as paddle board yoga, fishing, surfing, or even racing. You can also do several strength exercises such as handstands, planks, and many more.

How Much Exercise Is Paddle Boarding?

Similar to any type of sport, you, the participant, can always set the degree of intensity you would like to experience during a paddle boarding session. Paddle boarding can be as easy as a leisure walk around the park if you prefer to skip more demanding activities. If you want to spice things up just a little, you can always increase the extremity level of your paddle boarding trip to meet your desired preference.

Whether you want a relaxing, soothing experience or a challenging, tiring workout is entirely depends on you as you hold the power to control your paddle boarding adventure. With that said, paddle boarding is a great full body workout that will put your physical and mental abilities to the test as you persevere in the face of obstacles you come into contact with. After considering all of these variables, paddle boarding is undoubtedly a great exercise.

Is Paddle Boarding Hard on Your Back?

If you do it correctly, paddle boarding does not have to be hard on your back even with all the different techniques you perform, but it goes without saying that you will feel a slight amount of discomfort given that you’re putting your back muscles to work. Paddle boarding is certainly a great way to exercise your back muscles. Your back plays a huge role in helping you gain more stability and keeping you stay upright as you stand or kneel on top of your board.

Due to the fact that you are engaging your abdominal and back muscles, paddle boarding works out your back along with other muscle groups in your body such as your arms, shoulders, legs, feet, and even your neck. A lot of people often assume that paddling can be easily performed if you have strong arms, which is essentially true since you use your arms to paddle your way across the water. However, contrary to what most people believe, paddle boarding mainly uses your abdominal and back muscles so you can keep your balance on the board.

Is Paddle Boarding Good or Bad for Your Back?

Paddle boarding is good for your back because it strengthens your core muscles, thus alleviating your back pain. Your lower back and spine are supported by your abdominal muscles, which means less weight for your lower back to carry if you have stronger abdominal muscles. With that said, you must know that paddle boarding can be very bad for your back if you don’t do it correctly.

If you have back problems but would still like to try paddle boarding, it is best to consult your doctor first if you are healthy enough to participate in this very fun activity. One of the many great ways to avoid hurting your back when paddle boarding is to do some stretching and warmup exercises for at least 5 to 10 minutes before you hit the water. Additionally, it is also very helpful to keep a good posture once you are already out there paddling to avoid any kind of injury or accident.

Why Do My Feet Hurt When Paddle Boarding?

Feeling pain or weariness in the feet is common for those who just started paddle boarding, and some even feel it in their ankles. This is usually the result when you stand on top of your board in an unrelaxed manner for lengthy durations. Most of the time, people also tend to grip the board using their toes without even realizing it which leads to poor blood flow thereby causing their feet to ache.

To prevent experiencing discomfort in your feet, you should avoid standing in one position for an extended amount of time. Instead, try to relax and move your feet around every now and then to avoid putting too much pressure on your feet and ankles. It might be hard at first to ease up your feet a little since you need to balance your weight on top of your board, but do not worry because you will eventually get better at doing this as you invest more time and energy paddle boarding.

Can You Paddle Board With Bad Knees?

Paddle boarding on calm water is a great activity to do even if you have frail, sore, or inflexible knees. It has been known to be an amazing way to build and maintain strength in your knees. In fact, paddle boarding is also extremely helpful to people who are currently battling with knee injuries and those who are still regaining their strength after undergoing a surgical procedure.

Many doctors recommend paddle boarding to those with bad knees given that it is an activity with a significantly lower impact and dangers compared to other exercises such as biking, running, brisk walking, or swimming. Paddle boarding has also been proven to make the muscles around your knees much stronger and healthier. In some cases, it can even heal those who sustained severe knee injuries in the past, but you must consult your doctor first to know if you are physically able to paddle board.

Is Paddle Boarding Good for You?

Paddle boarding is a very delightful recreational activity that is good for you as it comes with countless health benefits. It is an excellent activity for improving your health and well-being as you strengthen and tone almost all the muscle groups in your body, such as your core, back, arms, legs, and shoulders. Paddle boarding does not only work the body, but it also enhances your cognitive performance as you think of ways to deal with the challenges that you encounter when you are out in the water.

If you would like to take some time off from the real world and have a relaxing time, even if it’s just for a little while, paddle boarding is the perfect activity that will surely do the job for you. It is a great way to explore the outdoors and appreciate the breathtaking sceneries that mother earth has to offer. On top of that, paddle boarding is also an amazing time to bond with your friends and/or family while you forget about the daily worries of life for a short moment.

What Are the Benefits of Paddle Boarding?

Apart from boosting your health and improving your physical strength, paddle boarding advances your critical thinking skills as well since you will be faced with a few challenges that will require you to work your mind. There is more to paddle boarding than meets the eye, and there are plenty of benefits that you can get from this incredibly wonderful activity. With that said, listed below are some of the many health benefits that paddle boarding has to offer:

• Gets you outdoors: Paddle boarding is a sport that is commonly done outdoors in different bodies of water which is a really great thing because it gets you out of your house. There are various locations for paddle boarding, such as oceans, lakes, or even rivers, and you can always choose which one you want to go to. It is also a great way to socialize and make new friends that also share a love for the very fun leisure activity of paddle boarding.
• Supplies vitamin D: A lot of people do not get enough vitamin D from spending too much time indoors, which can lead to an increased risk of bone fractures and falls. Considering that paddle boarding is usually performed outside, your skin is exposed to sunlight which in return enables your body to produce vitamin D. Vitamin D has an extensive range of benefits like preventing cancer cell growth, regulating insulin levels, keeping your bones, muscles, and teeth in good condition, and maintaining health in your immune, brain and nervous system.
• Relieves stress: Paddle boarding is an excellent activity if you want to unwind because it is proven to help you reduce your stress levels. It is also a great time to do some Zen Meditation since the environment around you is very peaceful and comforting. Meditating is without a doubt good for you as it gives you a vast range of health benefits such as boosted energy, better cerebral function, and improved mood and focus.
• Builds endurance and stamina: Paddle boarding includes strength and cardio training, which massively aids you in enhancing your cardiovascular and muscular endurance while boosting your stamina as well. Incorporating endurance training in your exercise routine has a lot of health benefits such as increased metabolism and lessened fatigue. More importantly, better endurance improves your overall fitness by keeping your heart and lungs healthy, allowing you to do activities for a much longer amount of time.
• Improves joint stability: Balancing your weight on top of your board engages the lower leg and tiny foot muscles, which puts your joints to work. As you get older, you are more prone to having joint problems, which is why you should exercise regularly to keep your weight in check and your joints healthy. In addition, frequently exercising greatly helps in building and maintaining strength in the muscles surrounding your joints.
• Improves balance: Paddle boarding is an activity that requires you to stand straight on top of your board. This means that you will be activating your core, back, and leg muscles to help you keep your balance and prevent yourself from falling into the water. If you do not have a good sense of balance, you do not have anything to worry about because it will surely get better in due course as you practice paddle boarding more often.
• Strengthens core muscles: You might be surprised to hear that paddle boarding is an excellent workout for your core since it is the main muscle group you use to paddle through the water efficiently. Your core muscles will be activated with all the twisting and turning you do when doing a stroke while paddle boarding. In addition, stronger core muscles also help you in maintaining your balance when you’re on top of your board.
• Exercises your whole body: As mentioned earlier, paddle boarding is a fantastic workout that exercises multiple parts of your body all at once. It is a full-body workout that strengthens, builds, and tones your core, back, legs, shoulders, and arms. Apart from that, it also exercises your joints and the minor muscle groups in your body that can be found in your wrists, fingers, feet, and toes.
• Helps you lose weight: When paddle boarding, the muscles found in your core, back, and legs are continuously focused on keeping your weight balanced on top of your board while the muscles in your arms and shoulders are activated to get your board moving across the water. In return, you burn many calories from this extremely tiring yet fun activity, thereby causing you to lose a lot of weight.
• Immerses you in nature: Since paddle boarding is mainly done outdoors, you get a chance to connect and deepen your relationship with nature. It is undeniably a calming experience with the sunlight above you, the water beneath you, and the green trees bringing you fresh air along with the beautiful landscapes you get to see around you. Paddle boarding is an excellent activity to start your day as you watch the wonderful sunrise or end your day while you watch the beautiful colors of the sunset.

How Good Is Paddle Boarding for You?

Paddle boarding is immensely good for you because it comes with a significant number of health and wellness benefits. It is a leisure activity that calls for the combined effort of nearly all the muscle groups in a person’s body; therefore, it aids you in building up strength. Paddle boarding comes with a lot of advantages that will be of considerable help to your body, especially as you get older.

If you are interested in trying out paddle boarding, you should definitely do so as your body will hugely thank you for all the health benefits it will soon reap. It’s a great substitute for working out in the gym crowded with people, and it’s absolutely a lot more fun since you are surrounded by the gentle sound of lapping water and the picturesque environment you see that will calm your mind and body.